Who Alerted Joel Moyers of Indictment?

When Joel Moyers learned he had been indicted in the death of Brandon Hydrick (pictured right), he immediately took an overdose of pills. Now the Limestone District Attorney is looking into who informed Moyers of the secret indictment.

In a statement Jones related: The indictment on four charges - including capital murder, reckless murder, intentionally shooting into an occupied vehicle and recklessly shooting into an occupied vehicle - was handed down by a reconvened grand jury at 4:30 p.m. Friday and not released to the public. Typically, indictments are kept secret until the arrest is made because of the potential flight risk for defendants.

Other sources have indicated District Attorney Jones has not been amused by perceived pressure from residents of Madison County to speed up Moyers' indictment. Both Hydrick brothers and Brandon's girlfriend reside or resided in the Huntsville/Harvest area. An indictment coming nine weeks after a crime is hardly unusual, but online websites and petitions have portrayed it as being. It's our understanding that an indictment is always protocol for a charge of Capital Murder; therefore Moyers didn't receive any special favors when at his initial arrest he was charged with only Felony Murder.

The trial, if no plea deal is offered or accepted, will pit Jones against a team of attorneys paid for by Joel Moyers' mother, reportedly a woman of some financial means (in fact, with each comment we receive, her home on Smith Lake just gets more valuable). Bronwen Murray, Brandon's girlfriend has made it clear she doesn't support a plea.

Murray was vacationing in Europe when news of the indictment reached her, but sent a message to Limestone County reporters in which she stated: "I hope that Joel Moyers doesn't have the last laugh by playing judge, jury, and executioner. The justice system exists for a reason, and the Hydrick family deserves to see Moyers convicted by a jury of his peers and sentenced by a judge qualified to make the call on punishment."

However, it may be Brandon's parents who decide if a plea should be accepted or not. They would avoid the anguish of a trial that's sure to make more national headlines--CNN has already done several stories on the shooting. The NRA has recently made rumblings on the gun issue, and there are rumors that NAMI may become involved. We relish publicity for Northwest Alabama--just not this kind.

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On the subject of eccentric Alabama laws and redundancy, we can see how recklessly shooting into a vehicle could possibly not be intentional, but don't fathom how intentionally shooting into a vehicle could not be reckless. No one ever mentions how long the Alabama Code is, but it must put our constitution to shame.

Shoalanda